No-Crust Tomato Pie – Lower Carb, Gluten-free

Crustless Tomato Pie is a low-carb spin on one of my favorite southern dishes. Such a yummy way to use up a bumper crop of sweet, ripe tomatoes.

Most southern tomato pies have a pastry crust, but I personally like mine without! Tomatoes tend to get watery and seep all over a crust and make it unpleasantly soggy, especially you have leftovers. But a crustless tomato tart or pie doesn’t have nearly the same issue.

Watch it – 15-second tutorial!

However, one of the most important preparation steps you’ll want to take for this tomato mozzarella pie is to “sweat” the tomatoes. To do this simple task, just sprinkle your slice tomatoes with a little salt and let them rest on a plate for about 30 minutes. Afterward, drain off any liquid released onto the plant and use paper towels to blot up any excess moisture (this also helps remove some of the salt so that it doesn’t overpower). Sweating tomatoes like this helps keep them from making dishes watery and also makes the tomato flavor more intense – win-win!

Sweat the tomatoes with a little sale for 30 minutes - this helps remove excess moisture so recipe doesn't get soggy and also intensify flavor.
Don’t skip the 30-minute tomato “sweat” session!

To assemble the tomato pie, you just layer tomato slices and half of the egg-cheese mixture, and then repeat those layers again, and finish with a final tomato layer – so 3 layers of tomatoes and two layers of filling. The recipe does call for two eggs in it, but only to serve as a binder to help keep everything together – it’s definitely not eggy like a quiche or frittata.  It’s all about the tomatoes!

Ready to pop in the oven for 30 minutes!

Serve a side dish to dinner or light lunch – it’s even delicious as summery breakfast. My husband says it’s a casserole with tomatoes, but I say it’s a low carb tomato pie since it’s in a pie dish – he does agree it’s delicious. My kids say the low carb tomato casserole slash pie tastes like a pizza! Any way you slice it, we gobble it all up.

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However, if you do want to heat leftovers up the next day, you can microwave a slice for about 45 seconds. Or, if you have an air-fryer, I prefer to set my slice in a small dish and air fry at 390F for about 6 minutes – this returns the cheese to more of the original gooey-crispy state.

Makes 6 servings, each with 178 calories, 9g carb, 12g fat, 13g protein

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5 from 6 votes
Crustless Tomato Pie: No crust means the intense flavor of vine-ripe tomatoes shines through in this recipe whether you want to call it a pie, tart or casserole. Simple ingredients, lower carb, gluten-free and sure to delight for breakfast, brunch or as a side dish any night.
No Crust Tomato Pie – Low Carb and Gluten Free
Prep Time
10 mins
Cook Time
30 mins
“Sweating” tomatoes
30 mins
Total Time
1 hr 10 mins
 

Crustless Tomato Pie: No crust means the intense flavor ofvine-ripe tomatoes shines through in this recipe whether you want to call it apie, tart or casserole. Simple ingredients, lower carb, gluten-free and sure todelight for breakfast, brunch or as a side dish any night.

Course: Appetizer, Breakfast, brunch, lunch, Side Dish
Cuisine: American, Southern
Keyword: brunch, pie, tart, tomato
Servings: 6 servings
Calories: 178 kcal
Ingredients
  • 1 ½ lbs. tomatoes about 5 to 6 medium
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 1 cup chopped sweet onion
  • 1 tablespoon butter
  • 2 eggs
  • ½ tsp black pepper
  • 2 tablespoons fresh chopped basil
  • 2 cups shredded mozzarella reserve 1/3 cup
  • 2 green onions tops and whites chopped
Instructions
  1. Slice tomatoes and sprinkle with salt. Let sit 30 minutes, then pour off juices and blot excess with paper towels.
  2. While tomatoes are “sweating,” saute onion in butter. Let cool of a bit.
  3. Mix together cooled sauteed onions, eggs, pepper, fresh basil, and 1 2/3 cups of the mozzarella.

  4. Layer pie dish with tomatoes, then dollop and spread ½ of the cheese-egg mixture on top.
  5. Sprinkle with green onions. Layer with tomatoes and remaining cheese mixture.
  6. There should be enough tomatoes left for the top. Arrange these and sprinkle with remaining cheese.
  7. Bake at 375F for 30 to 40 minutes, or until cheese bubbling and starting to brown in places.
  8. Let rest for 15 minutes before cutting into 6 wedges.
Recipe Notes

Makes 6 servings, each with 178 calories, 9g carb, 12g fat, 13g protein

Pull-Apart Italian Cheese Beef Party Bread

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Whether it’s a laid-back family dinner, a snack for football watching, potluck party offering, this easy recipe for Pull-Apart Italian Cheesy, Beefy Party Bread will make you the most popular person around.

Pull Apart Italian Cheese Beef Sourdough Party Bread makes a popular appetizer for your next party or a creative take on family pizza night!

Just imagine one giant sough dough round cut-up “Blooming Onion” style, drizzled with garlic and herb butter, stuffed with loads of ground beef and cheese, baked up until ooey-gooey – spicy sauce for dunking on the side. Wait, don’t imagine it – make this easy beef appetizer tonight!

Pull Apart Italian Cheese Beef Sourdough Party Bread makes a popular appetizer for your next party or a creative dinner for family pizza night.

If you’re wondering how to make sourdough party bread, it’s simple! Start with a big round loaf of artisan style sour dough bread with a nice hearty crust. Whether you make your own bread or prefer the convenience of bakery prepared, either work beautifully!

The key to making pull-apart pieces is the slice crosswise and lengthwise WITHOUT cutting all the way to the bottom crust. This allows for the long cubes to be pulled out later and dunked in sauce – no forks really required.

Pull Apart Italian Cheese Beef Sourdough Party Bread makes a popular appetizer for your next party or a creative dinner for family pizza night.

After cutting the loaf for pull apart party bread, the inside crevices are drizzled with herbed butter and then stuffed with ground beef and shredded cheese – then baked until ooey-gooey deliciousness. Serve with warmed marinara sauce for dipping!

There is no macro nutrient or calorie running of this recipe, it is made just to be enjoyed and we often doing on family pizza night for a change!

Italian Pull Apart Cheesy Beefy Party Bread
Prep Time
15 mins
Cook Time
30 mins
Total Time
45 mins
 

Whether served as a snack for a party or casual alternative to family pizza night, this cheese and beef stuffed sourdough loaf is always a winner!

Course: Appetizer, party, Snack
Cuisine: Italian
Keyword: beef, blue cheese, finger food, super bowl
Servings: 8
Ingredients
  • 1 large sourdough bread round
  • 1 stick Butter melted
  • 2 tsp. minced garlic
  • 1 tsp. Italian seasoning
  • 12 oz. ground beef
  • ½ tsp. salt
  • ½ tsp. red pepper flakes
  • 8 oz. shredded cheese of choice
  • 1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh herbs like parsley or basil for sprinkling on top
  • Optional: 1 cup warmed marinara sauce
Instructions
  1. Preheat oven to 375F degrees.
  2. In skillet, brown ground beef over medium-heat until cooked through – drain off any excess grease. Season with salt and red pepper. Set aside.
  3. Place soughdough load on baking pan and a sheet of foil Use serrated knife to slice ALMOST to the bottom of sourdough round in 1/2” slices. Don’t slice all the way down, leave about ¼” inch at the bottom so that loaf stays intact. Next, make ½” slices going in the other direction to create a grid of long bread sticks that can be pulled out later.
  4. Melt butter in small microwave-safe dish for approximately 20 – 30 seconds, stir in garlic and Italian seasoning. Using a small spoon drizzle garlic butter down into the crevices of bread.
  5. Next fill the crevices with ground beef and cheese, pushing down as needed.
  6. Pull foil up around bread, topping loosely with more foil if needed. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes until heated through and cheese bubbling.
  7. Sprinkle with fresh herbs and serve with warmed sauce.

Personal-sized Charcuterie Boards in Egg Roll Wrapper Boats

This post is sponsored by JSL foods as part of Twin Dragon Blogger Recipe Challenge Contest — however, all opinions, content and enthusiasm remain my own.

As we roll into the season finale of 2020, I’m kicking back to celebrate at home with a Personal-sized Charcuterie Board & Cheese Tray (served in an edible egg roll wrapper boat). Not only is it a great time to enjoy New Year’s Even appetizers, but also to hit rewind in my mind to revisit the top lessons I’ve learned during this challenging year.

Personal Sized Charcuterie with Edible Egg Roll Wrapper Boat

These lessons would include: 1) Enjoy the moment, 2) Keep the party at home, 3) Make creative use of ingredients on hand, 4) Simple indulgences can lift spirits, and 5) Find fellowship . . . but keep your social distance! And, to that last one, I also respectfully say (even to my own kids), keep your grubby fingers out of my snacks, please. Lol, and in response to all these life lessons is the creation of my individually-portioned meat and cheese “trays” made from egg roll wrappers! Continue reading

Chipotle Pumpkin Cheddar Grits & Black Bean Bowl

This post is sponsored by Cabot Creamery, in conjunction with Healthy Aperture, as part of a blogger cooking contest. All content, opinions and enthusiasm remain my own!

I’m starting to get those fall-time feels! Cooler weather, cozy meals, seasonal flavors, and this year more family time around the dinner table. Not only are we staying home more and eating out less, we’ve also got a couple college kids who are able to extend their visits thanks to this new online learning situation. Quick, easy and affordable! This budget-friendly family favorite makes a great fall-inspired dinner on busy nights. White cheddar and pumpkin make stone ground grits so creamy, and chipotle chile powder adds just a touch of smoky heat. Add my suggested toppings to make it a balanced meat with under 400 calories and 20g protein per serving. Gluten free, lower carb and meal prep / freezer friendly. Get more quick and easy meal recipes and clean eating ideas at thefitfork.com

That being said, I’ve had to flex my creative cooking muscle to come up with budget-friendly ideas that will keep my three hungry guys filled up without breaking the bank (and interfering with my running shoe budge, lol). Cheesy, hearty meals are ALWAYS a winner with them, so I’ve relied on flavorful Cabot cheese, along with staples from my pantry) to create a Chipotle Pumpkin Cheddar Grits & Black Bean Bowl. Continue reading

Triple Berry Blue Cheese Quinoa Salad

Berry Blue Cheese Quinoa Salad just makes me smile, for so many reasons. The salad personified is ME, call it “Jennifer Salad” because it’s all about the things I am and love. It’s sweet without being cloying, packed with the season’s best berries including blueberries, raspberries and strawberries (or any combo there in). It’s bold with a blast of blue cheese crumbles. It’s got a lot of attitude and texture, with layers of flavor to keep every bite interesting. It’s hearty and healthy, fills you up without being too dainty. And finally, it’s portable and ready to go, standing up to a mealtime on any adventure.

Berry Blue Cheese Quinoa Salad is a scrumptious side dish featuring blueberries, strawberries, raspberries and a blast of bold blue cheese. Can be made ahead for an easy dinner side dish or meal prep friendly for lunch!

Read on to get this delicious, meal prep friendly quinoa salad: Continue reading